The Jade Well White Church, nestled by mountains and water, feels like stepping into a fairyland or a hidden paradise.

Text and photos byShadow

At first, we didn’t know how popular the Jade Well White Church was. Later, after seeing an online recommendation, we thought it looked beautiful and decided to visit during our holiday. At the time, we had no idea the church was closed for maintenance, so we were still excited and eager to see it. Relying on the car’s navigation and Google Maps on our phones, we managed to find the rural road leading to the church.

After entering the rural road from Highway 20, the sign ahead marks the direction to the White Church. The road is so narrow that we almost missed it, but my husband noticed early and we turned back toward the farm road in front of the utility pole.

We arrived early, and there weren’t many cars along the way, though we occasionally encountered oncoming traffic, which required extra caution. Along the drive, we passed mango groves and soon reached the Treehouse Café.

It was a bit past ten, and the café wasn’t open yet, which we assumed was normal—later we learned the business was closed for the Dragon Boat Festival. We continued driving downhill, the road getting narrower until we finally arrived at the Hidden Field Mountain Villa Restaurant.

This area seems to be land purchased and developed by the owner of Hidden Field into a natural ecological environment. Besides the restaurant, Hidden Field Mountain Villa also operates homestays scattered across the nearby area. We also met many other visitors who were all searching for the White Church.

Next to the restaurant is a pavilion covered with greenery. Sitting here earlier in the day would have been very cool, but by noon, the sun was scorching, and we could feel the heat even under the shade. Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn’t open that day, so we couldn’t share more about it.

The surrounding hills are covered with mango trees. Jade Well mangoes are famous nationwide, and it’s currently harvest season—the trees are heavy with ripe fruit, very tempting to look at.

After leaving the restaurant, we continued in another direction to search for the White Church. Along the way, we saw the locked gate of the Hidden Field Mountain Villa Homestay. From outside the fence, we could only see the four large characters “Hidden Field Mountain Villa,” with nothing else visible. Following the signs from the homestay, we finally found the legendary White Church. There’s a parking lot near the church, but most visitors choose to park at the Hidden Field Mountain Villa Restaurant’s lot and walk over. Honestly, the short stretch of road from the restaurant to the church is very narrow, making passing tricky—we happened to encounter this issue, but thankfully we got through safely.

The White Church was built by the owner of Hidden Field Mountain Villa Homestay and is named “Ying Sheng Hall” in memory of their parents, using the last names of the parents as a tribute. Currently, the church offers free access for couples to take wedding photos. Although it was closed for maintenance that day, there were people taking wedding photos inside. The photographer even stopped other visitors from entering, so we could only peek through the glass door.

Next to the church is the Tranquil Years Restaurant, which was closed for the day. The set meal prices were around 300 NTD. The restaurant has a Japanese architectural style, with natural wood tones creating a serene atmosphere.

From the church, you can see the main structure of the restaurant building, with its large floor-to-ceiling windows offering a direct view of the church. It’s truly beautiful, though the downside is the nearby large power tower. To avoid it in photos, you’ll need to adjust your angle.

Near the church square, close to the parking lot, there’s a pavilion-like structure where visitors can sit and rest briefly. Remember to take off your shoes before entering to keep the area clean.

Behind the pavilion, in the pond next to the parking lot, lotus and water lilies are planted. Some lotuses have already bloomed—if more were in bloom, the scenery would be even prettier for photos.

The park isn’t very large. You can stroll and take photos for about an hour. The area is well-maintained, and you can follow the path to the highest pavilion.

From the highest point, you can enjoy the scenic views around the church—the lush green mountains and clear weather make for great photos.

After leaving the highest pavilion, we discovered a path leading to the pond on the trail. There’s a way to walk through the middle of the pond, where you can see a very luxurious private residence. We initially thought it was a homestay, but upon inquiry, we learned it’s private property and not open to the public. Please keep that in mind.

Without disturbing the residents, it’s best to just take photos from a distance. The mountain-and-water surroundings are truly enviable.

Leaving the pond area and continuing forward, you’ll find a large lawn—the Ya Xu Yuan Teahouse. Just hearing the name gives it a Japanese vibe, and its architectural style continues the tranquility of Tranquil Years, giving a sense of peace.

Is the so-called teahouse a place that serves tea and allows visitors to rest? Since there were no commercial activities, we never figured out its business model—it’s best to just visit and admire.

The entire structure is mainly wooden, including the tables and chairs, which are comfortable to sit on. However, the midday heat made it too warm to stay for long.

The wind chime hanging on the front porch makes a pleasant sound when the breeze blows.

On the gravel path next to Ya Xu Yuan, this tree provided us with a nice shady spot. This pretty much concludes the sights around the church.

On the trail next to Tranquil Years Restaurant, you can reach the location of the white windmill. You can take photos with the windmill in the frame, and the church is also visible below the windmill—you can even capture the entire church from above.

From the windmill’s vantage point, you can look down at the entire structure of the church. It’s a pity we couldn’t go inside for photos that day. From the high point, we could vaguely see the neatly arranged chairs inside, which was a small consolation.

The White Church in the mountains of Jade Well is like a hidden paradise. Honestly, it’s not very large and can’t accommodate too many visitors at once. The access roads are narrow farm paths, which really test driving skills. Of course, roadside parking isn’t possible either. For the sake of ecological conservation and the rights of nearby residents, the operators have temporarily closed the church to the public until a better and more comprehensive plan is in place.

[Hidden Field Mountain Villa Information]
Address: No. 10, Cenglín Lǐ, Yujing District, Tainan City
Phone: 06-5749699
Business Hours: 11:00–20:00
Closed: Mondays

【Treehouse Café Information】
Phone: 06-5749251
Business Hours: 11:00–20:00
Closed: Mondays
Hidden Fields Mountain House Silken Flour Group:https://www.facebook.com/onden.house
Note: It is currently mango harvest season. The White Church is closed for the season. Hidden Fields Mountain House and Treehouse Café will resume business starting June 5. For related updates, please check the official fan pages of the shops.

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